Battle of the Brains is a quizbowl

Quizbowl

Quiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...

 show in the Richmond

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

 and Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...

 areas of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. It currently airs on WTVR

WTVR-TV

WTVR-TV, virtual channel 6, is a CBS television affiliate based in Richmond, Virginia owned by Local TV, the broadcasting arm of Oak Hill Capital Partners...

 in the Richmond area, and WAVY in Hampton Roads. The current show began in Richmond in 1975, and it originally aired on a local PBS

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

 member station until it was canceled by the station. Its 2002–2003 season was aired on a public-access television

Public-access television

Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...

 cable TV station, before the Richmond CBS

CBS

CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

 affiliate added the show, where it currently airs on Saturday mornings at 10:00 A.M. The Hampton Roads program began with the 2004-2005 season. It airs on WAVY at 10:00 as well. Since the early 1990s, the team to beat in the competition has been the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School

Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies

The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies is a public regional magnet high school in Richmond, Virginia....

 in Richmond, and is currently the reigning champion in the Richmond program. Ocean Lakes High School

Ocean Lakes High School

Ocean Lakes High School is a public high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is located in the city's southeastern section.-Math and Science Academy:...

 of Virginia Beach is the reigning Hampton Roads area champion.

The show currently matches the Richmond-area winner against the Hampton Roads-area winner in a game called the “Champion’s Challenge”. Maggie Walker Governor's School is the reigning champion. Also, the 2003-2004 season marked the first time an All-Star game was held from the top individual players representing themselves. The first All-Star game featured eight players from seven different schools, while the second game had eight from six schools.

Beginning with the 2007-2008 season, high schools from Northeastern North Carolina were allowed to compete in the Hampton Roads show.

The Richmond show is hosted by WTVR's Cheryl Miller and the Hampton Roads show is hosted by WAVY's Stephanie Harris.

General Rules

• Schools may only pre-test once per year.
• Schools must pre-test and compete in the TV viewing area that covers the school.
• Schools outside of a TV viewing area will compete in the region closest to their school.
• The Central Virginia champion will meet the Southeast Virginia champion in a Championship Game.
• The Championship Game will be broadcast on both Central Virginia and Southeast Virginia TV stations

General Rules

• There will be two Toss-Up Rounds and a Category Round.
• If the match ends in a tie, a sudden-death tiebreaker question will be asked. If a student buzzes early with an incorrect answer, the team will be penalized 5 points and the match will be over.
• The decisions of the Battle of the Brains judges in the studio are final and cannot be appealed.

Toss-Up Rounds

• Each correct answer is worth 10 points. If a student buzzes early with a correct answer, the host will acknowledge the answer and then summarize the reading of the question for the viewing audience.
• Answers must be given within a 5-second interval.
• There is no collaboration among team members during this round.
• A student may buzz before the host has completed the question. However, the host will immediately stop reading the question and go to that student for an answer. If the student answers incorrectly, his/her team will be penalized 5 points. The host will then complete the question. Any member of the opposing team may attempt to answer. There is no penalty should the opposing team stop the host before the question is completed. This is the only situation, other than the category rounds, in which no penalty will be assessed for an incorrect answer given before completion of a question.
• Should the Toss-Up Round end in the middle of a question, the question will be eliminated. If the round ends in the middle of an answer, the student will be allowed to complete the answer (within the 5-second limit). If the answer is incorrect, the opposing team will NOT have an opportunity to respond.
• There is no penalty for an incorrect answer after the host has completed the reading of a question.
• The host will provide the correct answer for the audience should neither team provide an accepted response. A new toss-up question will then be read.

Category Round

• Teams will be shown five unique categories. Examples of these: (1) 19th Century American Vice Presidents, (2) Italian Operas, or (3) Math Formulas.
• Each category has a total of 10 questions, each worth 5 points.
• A team that correctly answers all ten items in a category will be awarded 20 bonus points.
• A total of one minute per category is allowed. Collaboration is allowed. However, answers are accepted only from the team captain. Teams may pass items, given the time limit. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. The opposing team cannot respond to unanswered items or incorrect responses.
• The team that has the lead will have the first choice of categories. Approximately 15 seconds is allotted to make the choice.
• Following the completion of the first category chosen, the opposing team will select the second and third category in the round.
• After the second team has completed its categories, the first team will select its second and last category. (One category will be unused.)

General Rules

• The “All-Stars” features 8 individual players.
• Each player competes during 2 Toss-Up rounds and a Category Round.
• The decisions of the Battle of the Brains judges in the studio are final and cannot be appealed.

Toss-Up Rounds

• Toss-Up questions are worth 10 points each.
• Toss-Up questions interrupted with an incorrect answer before being completed incur a 5-point penalty and the question completed for the opposition.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers to completed questions.
• After 3 incorrect answers, the correct answer is given.

Category Round

• There are 16 categories in the Category Round.
• Each specific category is revealed as the flashing categories stop.
• Players may select that category or pass to request an alternate category.
• If an alternate category is requested, the player must take the 2nd selection.
• Each category contains 6 questions worth 5 points.
• Players have 30 seconds for each category.
• Players may pass a question and if time remains, the question will be repeated.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers.
• If all 6 questions are answered correctly, there will be a 10 point bonus.

Sudden Death Round

• A “sudden death” round will occur if 2 or more players are tied at the end of the game.
• The first player answering correctly is declared the winner.
• No penalty occurs for early ring-ins and incorrect answers during “sudden death”.

Richmond-area champions

• 1984- St. Christopher's School
  St. Christopher's School
  St. Christopher's School is the name of several schools around the world, including:*St. Christopher's School, Bahrain*St. Christopher's School, Richmond, Virginia, USA*St. Christopher's School, Metairie, Louisiana, USA...
  
  
• 1985- St. Christopher's School
  St. Christopher's School
  St. Christopher's School is the name of several schools around the world, including:*St. Christopher's School, Bahrain*St. Christopher's School, Richmond, Virginia, USA*St. Christopher's School, Metairie, Louisiana, USA...
  
  
• 1986- Stafford High School
• 1987- Thomas Dale High School
• 1988- Meadowbrook High School
• 1989- Douglas S. Freeman High School
  Douglas S. Freeman High School
  Douglas S. Freeman High School is a Henrico County high school located in western Henrico County, Virginia.-History:The school is named for Douglas S. Freeman , a Virginia author, newspaper editor, historian, and pioneering radio broadcaster. The school opened in 1954, slightly more than one year...
  
  
• 1990- Collegiate School
• 1991- Collegiate School
• 1992- Douglas Freeman High School
• 1993- Governor's School
  Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
  The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies is a public regional magnet high school in Richmond, Virginia....
  
  
• 1994- Governor's School
• 1995- Governor's School
• 1996- Governor's School
• 1997- St. Christopher's School
• 1998- St. Christopher's School
• 1999- Governor's School
• 2000- Governor's School
• 2001- Collegiate School
• 2002- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2003- Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot
• 2004- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2005- Charlottesville High School
  Charlottesville High School
  Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools....
  
  
• 2006- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2007- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2008- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2009- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2010- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2011- Maggie Walker Governor's School

Hampton Roads champions

• 2005- Kecoughtan High School
  Kecoughtan High School
  Kecoughtan High School is a public high school located in Hampton, Virginia. The current grades offered are 9–12. Kecoughtan High School is one of four high schools located in the Hampton City Public School District...
  
  
• 2006- Ocean Lakes High School
  Ocean Lakes High School
  Ocean Lakes High School is a public high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is located in the city's southeastern section.-Math and Science Academy:...
  
  
• 2007- Ocean Lakes High School
• 2008- Hickory High School
• 2009- Ocean Lakes High School
  Ocean Lakes High School
  Ocean Lakes High School is a public high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is located in the city's southeastern section.-Math and Science Academy:...
  
  

Champion's Challenge winners

• 2005- Charlottesville High School
• 2006- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2007- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2008- Maggie Walker Governor's School
• 2009- Maggie Walker Governor's School